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"You see I a you all this, just as if you did not know

Miss Anna's antecedents even better thanarrived at a suitable age, she is this

sua, while I am

expected to fall in love with her at once and s before another winter Now, in your straightforay

of putting things, don't iine that Mrs Meredith has

deliberately told me all this, for she has not, but I understand

her perfectly, and know exactly what she expects me to do

Whether I do or not depends partly upon how I like Miss Anna,

partly upon how she likes me, and partly upon yourself

"Now, Arthur, you knoas always famous for presentiments or

fancies, as you termed them, and the latest of these is that you

like Anna Ruthven Do you? Tell ht, and by the

otinto, I will treat Miss Anna as gingerly

and brotherly as if she was already your wife I like her

picture, which I have seen, and believe I shall like the girl,

but if you say that by looking at her with longing eyes I shall

be guilty of breaking some one of the ten commandments--I don't

knohich--why, then, hands off at once That's fair, and will

prove to you that, although not a parson like yourself, there is

still a spark of honor, if not of goodness, in the breast of "Yours truly,

"THORNTON HASTINGS